Utterly Deplorable

We are prime examples of a community that faces the challenge of colorism. The simplest example of this that Shahroz references is the idea of choosing a spouse. We know one too many families that refuse to accept a son- or daughter-in-law because of his or her darker skin, a form of discrimination we now understand was derived from colonialism. When the lighter-skinned individual became the most respected in a community throughout history, every other shade became degraded and ashamed.

There are three, interconnected, reasons why many Muslims, especially Pakistanis, prefer a lighter skin tone in their spouses:

1. Beauty. Darker skin is ugly.

2. Wealth. Physical labor in the sun is not kind to fair skin tones. Therefore, lighter skin is a strong indicator of affluence.

3. Intelligence. If you are working in a low-skill job outside, then you likely aren't a smart person. So, darker skin tones imply that you have a low IQ.

An anecdote from William Manchester’s biography of Winston Churchill is most informative in this regard:

During the early 1950s, when this writer was living in Dehli as a foreign correspondent, social scientists began a comprehensive poll of Indian villages to determine how many natives knew British rule had ended in 1947. The survey was aborted when it was discovered that a majority didn’t know the British had even arrived.

Also, the Muslim girl doesn't mention it but what about the Arabs? They have been buying and selling Blacks for centuries. In their language, they refer to Blacks as slaves! It's tough to pin that on white infidels.